The field of the present invention relates to fiber-coupled optical devices mounted on circuit boards.
Packaging an optical component for ready coupling to an optical fiber is a costly and time consuming portion of the manufacturing process for optical devices for telecommunications. Connectors are available for enabling rapid connection between optical fibers, an end of each fiber being provided with one of a pair of mating connectors. In order to provide a packaged optical device with such a connector, it is often the case that a short segment of optical fiber is employed within the package, with one end optically coupled to the device and the other end terminating in the connector and available for coupling to another optical fiber with a mating connector.
In many typical applications, the optical device is coupled to electronic circuitry for use. It may be desirable in such circumstances to mount the fiber-coupled optical device directly on a circuit board for facilitating coupling between the device and the circuitry. Disclosed herein are various embodiments of such circuit-mounted fiber-coupled optical devices, and methods of fabrication and use thereof.